Every year, our family has made an Advent wreath. Sometimes we used evergreens topped with pine cones sprayed gold and silver and decorated with lights. One Advent we used Christmas cards from years past, sealed with clear glue and sprayed shiny, the images of Our Lady and her Babe dancing in a circle round the candles expressing the Hope that Advent works to strengthen our hearts. This year though, we made a wreath that we have made many times before. Its one we have given as a gift to friends who also wanted to make Christmas preparation a time of living Advent instead of purchasing pleasure.
Made of bread, our Advent wreath is filled with the symbols of our Holy Catholic faith. The circle of bread has a twofold symbolism. The carefully woven braided circle is a symbol of eternal life, that never ending reality for which we all hope. The bread itself reminds us of the Bread of Life, Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus, He who ascended into Heaven and yet never left us, returning to us each day hidden under the appearance of bread and wine at each and every Holy Mass. And with this in mind we topped this year’s wreath with stalks of wheat and three clusters of grapes, representing not only the gifts of bread and wine offered by the priest at Holy Mass but also to remind us that God is three Divine Persons yet only One Eternal and ever living God. Surrounded by four candles, three purple and one rose, the wreath is a reminder of the special joys of expectation that the season of Advent brings. As a child, I remember lighting the candles on the Advent wreath before prayer and feeling the excitement and joy of Christmas coming upon us. Sometimes, especially when we were small, the prayer was only an Ave Maria offered up to Our Blessed Mother.
On her special days, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception and Our Lady of Guadalupe both celebrated during Advent, a special statue or white candle was placed in honor of Our Lady along with a special treat for the family like snow ball cookies or Mexican cinnamon cocoa. As Christmas approached dad would coax us to sing a song with the lighting of the candle. We were reminded it wasn't Christmas yet and learned beautiful hymns like O Come Emmanuel and O Come Divine Messiah. Some years we tried more formal approaches with little prayer booklets with special Advent prayer selections, but the simple songs and Aves are still the best remembered.
May you have a Happy Christmas and a Blessed New Year,
--Galilee Riggio
Made of bread, our Advent wreath is filled with the symbols of our Holy Catholic faith. The circle of bread has a twofold symbolism. The carefully woven braided circle is a symbol of eternal life, that never ending reality for which we all hope. The bread itself reminds us of the Bread of Life, Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus, He who ascended into Heaven and yet never left us, returning to us each day hidden under the appearance of bread and wine at each and every Holy Mass. And with this in mind we topped this year’s wreath with stalks of wheat and three clusters of grapes, representing not only the gifts of bread and wine offered by the priest at Holy Mass but also to remind us that God is three Divine Persons yet only One Eternal and ever living God. Surrounded by four candles, three purple and one rose, the wreath is a reminder of the special joys of expectation that the season of Advent brings. As a child, I remember lighting the candles on the Advent wreath before prayer and feeling the excitement and joy of Christmas coming upon us. Sometimes, especially when we were small, the prayer was only an Ave Maria offered up to Our Blessed Mother. 
On her special days, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception and Our Lady of Guadalupe both celebrated during Advent, a special statue or white candle was placed in honor of Our Lady along with a special treat for the family like snow ball cookies or Mexican cinnamon cocoa. As Christmas approached dad would coax us to sing a song with the lighting of the candle. We were reminded it wasn't Christmas yet and learned beautiful hymns like O Come Emmanuel and O Come Divine Messiah. Some years we tried more formal approaches with little prayer booklets with special Advent prayer selections, but the simple songs and Aves are still the best remembered. May you have a Happy Christmas and a Blessed New Year,
--Galilee Riggio
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